Elasticized laminate, liquid impermeable backsheet for a disposable absorbent article

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article has a liquid impermeable backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet, and an absorbent structure therebetween. The backsheet defines a liquid barrier zone on both sides of the absorbent structure, and a pair of liquid impermeable containment flaps overlie the liquid barrier zones. Leg elastic members are disposed along the side edges of the backsheet, and flap elastic members are disposed in the liquid impermeable containment flaps. A liquid barrier is in each liquid barrier zone, and extends between the front edge and back edge of the liquid impermeable backsheet. Each liquid barrier is desirably between a respective leg elastic member and flap elastic member.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A disposable absorbent article, comprising: 
       a liquid impermeable backsheet comprising a front edge, a back edge, and a centerline extending between said front edge and said back edge,  
       a liquid permeable topsheet,  
       an absorbent structure between said liquid impermeable backsheet and said liquid permeable topsheet,  
       a first liquid barrier zone defined on one side of said centerline, and a second liquid barrier zone defined on an other side of said centerline, said liquid barrier zones extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet,  
       a liquid impermeable containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone,  
       a flap seam positioned over said absorbent structure and adhering said liquid impermeable containment flap on top of said liquid permeable topsheet, and  
       means extending between said front edge and said back edge in said liquid barrier zones for providing liquid barriers between said liquid impermeable containment flaps and said liquid impermeable backsheet.  
     
     
       2. The article of claim  1  wherein each said containment flap includes an inner portion having a flap elastic member elastically associated therewith, and wherein said flap seam is between said providing means and said flap elastic member. 
     
     
       3. The article of claim  2  wherein said backsheet comprises an outer layer, a liquid impermeable inner layer, and a pair of side edges, and 
       further comprising a leg elastic member elastically associated along each said side edge and positioned between said outer layer and said liquid impermeable inner layer.  
     
     
       4. The article of claim  3  wherein said providing means is between said leg elastic member and said flap elastic member. 
     
     
       5. The article of claim  4  wherein each said leg elastic member is in a respective said liquid barrier zone. 
     
     
       6. The article of claim  1  wherein each said containment flap is joined to said article by said providing means. 
     
     
       7. A disposable absorbent article, comprising: 
       a backsheet comprising an outer layer, a liquid impermeable inner layer, a front edge, a back edge, and a pair of side edges,  
       a leg elastic member elastically associated along each said side edge and positioned between said outer layer and said liquid impermeable inner layer,  
       a topsheet,  
       an absorbent structure between said backsheet and said topsheet,  
       a first liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on one side of said absorbent structure, and a second liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on an other side of said absorbent structure, said liquid barrier zones extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet,  
       a liquid impermeable containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone,  
       a flap seam Positioned over said absorbent structure and adhering said liquid impermeable containment flap on top of said topsheet, and  
       a liquid barrier in each said liquid barrier zone between a respective said containment flap and said backsheet, and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said backsheet.  
     
     
       8. The article of claim  7  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an adhesive bondline. 
     
     
       9. The article of claim  7  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises a thermal bondline. 
     
     
       10. The article of claim  7  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an ultrasonic bondline. 
     
     
       11. The article of claim  7  wherein each said containment flap includes a flap elastic member elastically associated therewith, said flap seam being between said liquid barrier and said flap elastic member. 
     
     
       12. The article of claim  11  wherein each said flap seam is between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member. 
     
     
       13. The article of claim  7  wherein each said leg elastic member is in a respective said liquid barrier zone. 
     
     
       14. A disposable absorbent article, comprising: 
       a pant body comprising a front panel, a back panel, and tearable, nonrefastenable side seams joining portions of said front panel and said back panel to define a waist opening periphery, a pair of leg opening peripheries, and an interior space,  
       said pant body further comprising a liquid impermeable backsheet including a front edge, a back edge, and a pair of side edges, said front edge and said back edge being substantially contiguous with said waist opening periphery,  
       a liquid permeable topsheet,  
       an absorbent structure between said liquid impermeable backsheet and said liquid permeable topsheet,  
       a first liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on one side of said absorbent structure, and a second liquid barrier zone defined by said backsheet on an other side of said absorbent,  
       a liquid impermeable containment flap over each said liquid barrier zone,  
       a flap seam positioned over said absorbent structure and adhering said liquid impermeable containment flap on top of said liquid permeable topsheet, and  
       a liquid barrier in each said liquid barrier zone between said liquid impermeable containment flap and said liquid impermeable backsheet, and extending between said front edge and said back edge of said liquid impermeable backsheet.  
     
     
       15. The article of claim  14  wherein said backsheet comprises 
       an outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer, and  
       a leg elastic member between said outer layer and said liquid impermeable inner layer, and being elastically associated along each said side edge of said backsheet.  
     
     
       16. The article of claim  15  wherein each said containment flap includes a flap elastic member elastically associated therewith, and wherein each said liquid barrier is between a respective said leg elastic member and a respective said flap elastic member. 
     
     
       17. The article of claim  16  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an adhesive bondline. 
     
     
       18. The article of claim  16  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises a thermal bondline. 
     
     
       19. The article of claim  16  wherein each said liquid barrier comprises an ultrasonic bondline. 
     
     
       20. The article of claim  15  wherein each said leg elastic member is in a respective said liquid barrier zone. 
     
     
       21. The article of claim  14  wherein each said liquid barrier zone has a width of about 2 millimeters or greater.